1ST DAY OF SCHOOL!

First Day of School for Colton and Asher! I don't know about the boys, but I had a GREAT day!!! I couldn't believe how quiet it was. I didn't know my house could be so quiet (of course, they made up for it the second they got home!) Colton had a great day in 7th grade. Asher had his best friend to enjoy Ms. Morgan's 4th grade class with (Alex and Asher have had the same teacher EVERY YEAR!!!) And Kyler enjoyed being King of the castle...oh wait, that's nothing new! Now I'm off to dream of another quiet day tomorrow. (Yes, I know the picture of the three boys is goofy - goofy boys=goofy pictures)

ALL 3 XY'S

Colton returned home Tuesday!!! I'm so happy to have all my xy's home safe and sound - even happier that school starts Monday! Colton brought these fun hats home for him and his brothers. They are already making plans for Halloween costumes with a couple of them. (Bonus for my pocketbook!) Well, you know how it is getting ready for the school year - I've been to too many stores - clothes, school supplies, backpacks, shoes. I also love to go through ALL of the boys belongings in their room to organize the week before school. Needless to say, I've been running all over the house with everything to do. As I was passing by the boys bathroom, I noticed mud all over the floor. Then I woke up and realized I live in the desert and it's SUMMER! A sick feeling came over me and I thought of what could be on my floor. Poop? Yes, poop. - poop that had been stepped on (which is why I assumed mud at first - and why would I assume poop - Kyler has been potty trained for over a year now!). I called Kyler - "Did you poop on the floor?" "What?" "Did You Poop On The Floor?" "I don't know" "DID YOU POOP ON THE FLOOR!?!" "...um,... maybe?" I handed him some wipes to start cleaning. Asher after hearing the conversation, walks by and says...."Mom, that's not poop, it's Oreos." (mom note: apparently stepping on Oreos in the bathroom IS acceptable) "Asher, I don't know what Oreos smell like in your world, but here - THIS IS POOP!!!" After the floors were cleaned and sanitized, then Kyler told us a grand story of how this could have happened. He loves to tell a great story - a few facts mixed with the Wonderful World of Kyler. I'm really used to the craziness around here, but nothing could prepare me for what would happen next in my day. I don't know how to prep you to hear this. I don't know if you will believe me, but what happened next is still leaving me speechless. I will just quote Colton exactly "Mom, can I start doing my own laundry." I KNOW - SHOCKING!!!!!!!! His friend, David does his own laundry and Colton would like to do the same. He even followed his first statement with this "Besides mom, then you won't have as much to do." ...........speechless..............

SUMMER TRIP PART 2

We had planned to stay in Nauvoo until Saturday, but changed plans with the flooding. We left on Friday and found sandbags on the road that weren't there on Wednesday! We were again lucky to cross the Mississippi River without problems and then had to find a way up Iowa. Our mapquest directions were useless since everything on our route was flooded. We made our way west and headed up through Des Moines. What would have been an almost 5 hour trip was an 8 hour trip to Stewartville, MN. We were so glad to have left in the morning and have the rest of the afternoon to clean up and rest. Grandma sent the boys off with Audra to the pool and I was...alone! No one to take care of and listen to and serve. I had been looking forward to this trip for a long time, but I had no clue it could be a "VACATION". Vacations are fun and carefree - 32 hours in a car with three boys and no other adult is not a vacation. Well, the first day was not the exception. Grandma kept delegating the kids to either Audra, Austin or Catherine the whole time we were there...IT WAS HEAVEN! We really did have a wonderful time - good company, fun things to do and beautiful weather. We attended a court of honor/graduation party, went to the park, went shopping, visited Mall of America, Niagara Cave and the Minnesota Zoo and ate at Pizza Ranch (Audra works there). The boys experienced cheese curds (regular and fried) and lots of Grandma's home-cooking. The first Sunday we were there was really great. My son, brother and dad were all passing the sacrament together! Kyler couldn't sit still, he had to lean over the edge of the pew and in his 4-year old whisper say "Grandpa! Hey! Grandpa!" When I told him to turn around and sit down, he insisted that he had something to tell his Grandpa. How dare I interupt the little man! We stayed for about 1 1/2 weeks and then headed out to South Dakota. We made good time and visited Wall Drug, Bear Country USA and Mount Rushmore that afternoon! The boys wanted to get home as soon as we could after that. I told them I was willing to get as close as we could to home the next day if they would get to bed and be so good in the car the next day. They were GREAT! The next day we left Rapid City, SD at 5:15 am (Arizona Time) and drove. We drove through South Dakota, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona. 20 hours later, (ON THE DOT) we pulled into our driveway at 1:15 am the next morning! Yes, I thought my 16 hour days on the road were impressive - BUT BEHOLD THE NEW RECORD - 20 HOURS STRAIGHT!!!

Thanks to Grandma and Grandpa for putting up with us, feeding us, driving us around & playing with us. We all miss you and love you tons! Thanks to Audra, Austin and Catherine for taking care of the kids (all the visits to the parks and the pool - and going with them on the rides at Mall of America) & being great examples for them to look up to. We are already enjoying all the memories we have of this awesome trip!

I MISS MY COLTON!

Things have been pretty hectic since I got home - UNPACKING, getting back into our routines, Dr. appointments, allergy shots, back to school shopping, new YW calling. I haven't even been able to finish blogging about our trip! But tonight, as I'm still working on a Girls Camp DVD for our Camp Reunion tomorrow, I can't think of anything else except missing my Colton! He was supposed to go to California on July 16 for one week. Instead, he left July 6th and won't be back until the 22nd. Don't get me wrong, I'm very happy for him to have this time with his best friend David. I think it's exciting for him to have his own vacation and experience new things...Universal Studios, 1st time to the temple for baptisms for the dead and next week - his first flight by himself. It's been nice to talk with him on the phone and hear about what he's doing - but July 22nd can't come soon enough! Love you Colton.

SUMMER TRIP PART 1

I've decided to blog a little here and a little there. First, it was a wonderful 2 1/2 weeks! We started out driving to Nauvoo, IL. Our 1st night (and the first photo) was in Tucumcari, NM - a little town on Route 66. The next day we made it to Topeka, KS. The boys enjoyed getting in to these towns early enough for dinner and time to swim at the hotel. The next day, Wednesday, we were headed to Nauvoo. The second photo shows the flooding we saw in Missouri. Just 1/2 hour before we were to be in Nauvoo - WE WERE DETOURED!!! Picture three shows where we crossed the Mississippi between Keokuk and Hamilton. Just a couple of days earlier you couldn't cross at this spot. We were very fortunate with our timing! We spent Wednesday and Thursday nights here and the boys enjoyed more swimming at our hotel. We didn't visit as much of Nauvoo as I wanted to, but I let the boys guide us. I wasn't about to force them to sightsee my way - I know when I'm outnumbered! We did walk down Parley St., went on the ox cart ride, visited the blacksmith shop (Asher was the lucky one who left with the mini horseshoe that was made in the demonstration), the printing shop, John Taylor's home, the bakery, the brickmaker, the seventies hall to see "Just Plain Anna Amanda" and the Nauvoo Temple. Oh, and we did see all the Statues near the visitors center. I remembered them very well from when they were dedicated in 1978 - the only other time I've been to Nauvoo! Kyler decided he needed to be in the photos with the statues...and then he decided that he and his brothers were going to mimic the statues. Colton and Asher were very good sports, except when I was taking video of them playing ring around the rosie in front of "Joyful Moment". Kyler yells at Asher "You're not doing it right!" Please enjoy this video (below) as much as I have! There is one thing my children always LOVE about visiting places - THE GIFT SHOP! Souvenirs are a very big part of our vacation! Colton was interested in buying the Star, Sun and Moon pillar, Asher bought the pillar as a pendant and Kyler bought ninja rubber ducks. Yes, you read correctly, NINJA RUBBER DUCKS and a DRAGON AND KNIGHT SET OF RUBBER DUCKS! I kept thinking - I've driven all this way to buy rubber ducks - and then I saw it. Another nativity to add to my collection.....THE RUBBER DUCK NATIVITY! If you visit my home in December, be sure to check out the ducky creche in the boys bathroom. (if you know me, you know i'm not joking!) Well, this is all for part 1 - enjoy the photos and video!

HOME!

11 states (New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, South Dakota, Wyoming & Colorado!) and 2 1/2 weeks later, we have arrived home. Our last sight-seeing adventure was Mount Rushmore and Bear Country USA in South Dakota. The next morning we left Rapid City and arrived home 20 hours later! Today, UNPACK! Then I will download my photos and get to telling you all about it! Dorothy's right....THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME!

WE SURVIVED THE FLOOD!

We made it to Nauvoo safely - after only one detour due to flooding. It was crazy to be driving and have the road sandbagged because the flood had come up to the highway. We were worried about crossing the Mississippi, but were able to 12 miles south of Nauvoo. The swollen river had two lanes of the road under water, but both lanes of traffic managed on the other two lanes. It was so surreal for desert dwellers to be in the middle of all this water! Frankly, it was also a little scary. The road for the last 12 miles up to Nauvoo was good and dry. Two days later, as we were travelling up to Minnesota, we found part of this same road sandbagged. I was a little worried I wouldn't be able to pass across the Mississippi again, but we were able to. We had to drive half way across Iowa before we could go north to Minnesota. What would have been nearly a five hour trip turned into eight hours. No matter though, we arrived safe and dry! I will post photos as soon as we are back in Arizona....July 4th.